the wicked child wrote:I typically use lagers when I want to cook with beer, or at least milder flavored ales. I have been known to buy variety packs from time to time just to have a few beers in my closet that can be used for cooking.

One good tip when cooking with wine is to never let the wine boil, at least not for any longer than a few moments when bringing the liquid to temperature. Something happens at that point that turns complex tannins into butt juice, which is usually an undesirable effect.

Weekend score of 20lbs of mild and another 10lbs of hot, freshly roasted, and peeled Hatch green chile. We made a great chile rellenos casserole Saturday night and Chilaquiles Sunday morning. Left now with 19 one-gallon bags in the freezer. Sometimes happiness is just a Hatch chile away.

Hatch, NM has soil that lends itself well to the growth of the chile. The chiles they grow are Big Jim's and are larger and have more flavor (and heat) than, say, a standard Anaheim. You can compare the chile to growing grapes where certain areas produce a better quality product. Hatch is known for the quality product they grow.

BadHands71 wrote:Made burgers tonight. Did a Mediterranean style burger with mozzarella, pesto, and roasted red peppers. Win. They were super tender and the flavor was awesome. Will definitely make them again.

BadHands71 wrote:Made burgers tonight. Did a Mediterranean style burger with mozzarella, pesto, and roasted red peppers. Win. They were super tender and the flavor was awesome. Will definitely make them again.

I also prefer gas. One can easily use wood chips, chunks, or pellets with a gas grill to get great smoke flavor, and the setup and cleanup are indeed much easier with a gas grill. It's also easier to control and adjust the heat level, and you also don't need to add coals to keep the heat going when you're cooking for long periods of time.

Heresy! But then, I wouldn't really expect any different from someone in NYC - they'll probably ban charcoal next.

It already is banned. You aren't even allowed to carry a propane tank through a residential space, so getting your fuel to a backyard grill can be tricksy. Basically, nearly all outdoor grilling is against the law in NYC. But it's one of those things that never really gets punished, and people flout the restrictions constantly.

On the issue at hand, if I'm using the heat source to heat up a vessel - like a pot or a pan - then gas is perfectly fine. (It's a little wasteful, as a huge portion of the heat energy created by the burner is simply released into the air around the burner rather than directed towards the vessel; you end up heating the kitchen almost as much as you heat your pot or pan.) But if I'm using the flame directly on the product being cooked, then to me it is indeed somewhat heretical to use gas. About the only time I use a direct gas flame is when I use my propane torch to sear a steak prior to a low and slow cook, or to roast off chiles or peppers.

just made a replication of that brown ginger sauce you get at hibachi places. should have used rice vinegar instead of white vinegar (and i should have known better), but other than the slight overpowering flavor there, it's pretty good.

shmenguin wrote:just made a replication of that brown ginger sauce you get at hibachi places. should have used rice vinegar instead of white vinegar (and i should have known better), but other than the slight overpowering flavor there, it's pretty good.